1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices for refilling image forming apparatuses with toner, and particularly to a toner hopper engagement device for engagement with a sliding cover type toner hopper so as to allow the refilling of such a toner hopper. The invention also provides a toner container and a toner refill kit which can be utilized to more conveniently refill a sliding cover type toner hopper.
2. Discussion of the Background
Image forming apparatuses, such as printers, photocopiers and facsimiles, typically apply a thermosetting image forming substance such as dry ink or what is commonly referred to as “toner,” in order to form images on paper. As image forming processes are performed, the toner is eventually depleted and therefore, must be refilled. Known image forming apparatuses are constructed with an array of devices related to refilling the toner reservoir included in the image forming apparatus. For example, a toner reservoir or “hopper” in an image forming apparatus may have a sliding lid that is opened by hand, thereby allowing toner to be poured into the reservoir, from a specialized toner refilling container. After the hopper is refilled, the specialized container is disengaged and discarded or returned to the manufacturer for refilling.
For example, referring to FIGS. 8–13, a refilling operation using a known refill container is shown. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, an access panel 12 of image forming apparatus 10 is rotated downward to expose toner hopper release lever 14 and toner hopper 16. As shown in FIG. 9, after hopper release lever 14 is rotated downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 8, toner hopper 16 can be pulled outwardly, in a direction of arrow 18, so as to expose engagement surface 20 of toner hopper 16. Although FIGS. 8 and 9 depict a toner hopper that can be pulled outwardly from an image forming apparatus, hopper 16 may be fixed within image forming apparatus 10 whereby access is enabled through additional access panels.
FIGS. 10–13 illustrate a refilling operation of toner hopper 16. As shown in FIG. 10, toner hopper 16 includes engagement surface 20 which has various receptacles 22 for receiving corresponding protrusions 24 provided on an engagement plate 26 of toner refill cartridge 28. Engagement surface 20 also includes lip 30 for engaging rear edge 32 of hopper refill cartridge 28. Toner hopper 16 also includes handle 34 which allows a user to slide toner lid 36 to thereby open orifice 38 so as to allow hopper 16 to be refilled with toner. A free end 40 of film 46 extends beyond an edge of plate 26, as shown in FIG. 10.
During a refilling operation, as illustrated in FIGS. 11-13, toner hopper 28 is engaged with engagement surface 20 of toner hopper 16. As shown in FIG. 11, rear edge 32 of toner hopper 28 is engaged with lip 30 of surface 20. Furthermore, although not shown in FIG. 11, protrusions 24 are engaged with receptacles 22. As shown in FIG. 11, toner refill cartridge 28 is filled with toner 42 and is sealed along its bottom surface 44 with film 46. Typically, film 46 is bonded to surface 44 so as to provide a complete seal over the opening 48 of toner refill cartridge 28. As shown in FIG. 11, film 46 is approximately twice as long as toner refill cartridge 28. A first length of film 46 covers opening 48 of cartridge 28. A second length of film 46 is wrapped around first slide plate 50. In order to open refill cartridge 28, a user pulls handle 34 of hopper 16 in the direction of arrow 52. As shown in FIG. 12, by pulling handle 34 in the direction of arrow 52, hopper lid 36 is moved in the direction of arrow 52. As shown in FIG. 13, by pulling on free end 40 generally in the direction of arrow 52, slide plates 50 and 54 are also moved in the direction of arrow 52 and film 46 is peeled away from surface 44 of cartridge 28. As plates 50 and 54 are moved in the direction of arrow 52, toner 42 provided in cartridge 28 is thereby allowed to fall into hopper 16. After the contents of cartridge 28 are depleted, handle 34 can be returned to its initial position, and cartridge 28 can be removed. Thereafter, cartridge 28 can be returned to the manufacturer for refilling. Since the film 46 is peeled away from cartridge 28 only after cartridge 28 has been engaged with surface 20 of hopper 16, accidental spillage and dispersal of toner 42 during a refilling operation is effectively prevented. A shortcoming of the above-described toner refill arrangement is that specialized refill containers are complex and must be manufactured with strict tolerances due to the various couplings required for engaging and interacting with each specific toner hopper. As a result, expensive tooling costs are incurred in making the molds and other equipment used to manufacture the specialized containers, and even after the initial equipment costs, the manufacture and assembly of the specialized containers is costly. Thus, the specialized containers can add significant overhead costs to operating and maintaining image forming apparatuses. In addition, if a business has a number of different types of photocopiers, an inventory of different specialized toner refill containers must be maintained. Therefore, it is desirable to simplify and minimize the costs involved with refilling toner reservoirs of image forming apparatuses.